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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1-.

N. F. BURNHAM.

STEAM ENGINE.I No. 336.837. Patented Peb. 2s, 1886.

"EMME (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2,

N. E. BURNHAM.

STEAM ENGINE No. 336,837. Patnted 11510.23, 1886.

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INVENTOH Wczacm By 7a3" ,d nays t (No Model.) 5 ShetS--Sheet 3.

N. F. BURNHAM.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 336,837. Patented Feb. 28, 1886.

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(No Model.) 5 SheetseSheet 4.

N. F. BURNHAM.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 336,887. Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

(No Model.) 5- Sheets-Sheet 5.

N. P. BURNHAM.

STEAM ENGINE No. 336,837. Patented Feb. 23, 18,86.

INVENTOR WITNESSES f rneys NiTnn STATES PATENT Fries.

NATHAN F. BURNHAM, OF YORK, ,PENNSYLVANIA STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersy Patent No. 336,837. dated February 23, 1886.

Application filed October 7, 1F85. Serial No. 179,25l. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, NATHAN F. BURNHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention more especially relates to that class of engines having a double-acting cylinder provided with an automatic cut-off.

Its objects are to provide a cheap, simple, durable, and effective automatic cut-off engine capable of running at a predetermined high rate of speed, to maintain that speed by means of a self-regulating governor, to pro-v vide a continuous, effective, and automaticlubrication, and to prevent the escape and waste of the lubricating materials.

The accompanying drawings represent all of my improvements as embodied in a single vertical cylinder-engine. I may, however, mount two cylinders in one frame and have them act upon a single shaft. Obviously,however, the details of the invention may be varied, and some of the improvements may be used without the others, and in machines differing somewhat in their details of construction, without departing from the principle of my invention.

Figure l represents a perspective View of my improved engine inclosed in its casing. Fig. 2 represents a View partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal central section through the engine. Fig. 3 represents a vertical transverse section through the steam and slide cylinders and their appurtenances` on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 representsan end view, partly in section, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing the details of the automatic governor. Fig. 5 is adetail view showing the plate that carries the valve rod eccentric; Fig. 5, a view of the eccentric for operating the valve-rod removed from its plate and showing its inner face; Fig. 6, a detail plan view, with the piston-rod -in section, of the crosshead or slide, with the guide in which it works shown in section; Fig. 7, a detail view, partly in section, showing the cross-head or slidehead; Fig. 8, a plan view of the under side of the slide-head; Fig. 9, a detailelevation of the slide-head at right angles to the view shown inl Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a detail view of a slight modication of one of the details of construction.

The frame of the engine is shown as com posed of four standards or posts, A A' A2 A,

strongly bolted to or cast in one piece with a.

base, B, which may be firmly secured to a suitable foundation. A' bowl-shaped basin, B', formed in the base,constitutes a receptacle for oil and waste condensed steam should such there be. The tops of the frame-pieces A A A? A3 are planed smooth to t correspondinglyprepared surfaces on the under side of a capplate, C, to which they are securely bolted. The steam-cylinder D is provided with an annular flange, d' cl2, at each end, accurately turned to fit its contiguous surface. The upper flange, d2, of the cylinder fits over a slight boss or projection, c, on the under side of the cap C, and is bolted to the cap.

A transverse diaphragm orv cylinder-head,

D, is interposed between the lower' ange, d', of the cylinder andthe ange or flanges f of a guide, F, forming aprolongation of a steamcylinder in which the slide-head of the piston works. This guide is preferably of the general form of a longitudinally-slotted cylinder, and in Figs. 3, 4, 6, and 7, F represents side portions of the cylinder, between which the s1ide-head works. The piston -rod e of the steam-piston E passes through a stungboX, E', in the cylinder-headD, and is attached at its lowery end to the slide or crosshead G, traveling in the guide or slotted cylinder F. The slid-e-head has two downwardly-projecting lugs or ears, g, which 1 carry the pivot-pin h, with which the connectingrod H is attached, Figs. 7 and 8. The connectingrod at its lower end is connected to the crank-shaft I, which turns in suitable cylinder, leaving merely a solid ring or section at each end.

M is the ordinary exhaust-steam chest. The

The slots are prefer- Y ably extended nearly the whole length of the- IOO valve cylinder or chest L is cast with the 4 steam-cylinder, or may be separate and :i Y j 336,837

bolted to the side of the cylinder, and is connected therewith by the usual ports, M M. Steam enters by the pipe L and inlet L.

m m indicate the open ends of the valvecylinder, through which exhaust-steam passes to the escape-pipe'K., Y f

In order to secure an equal steam-opening around the heads of the valve-cylinder,I form the cylinder with sharp edges x at the ports. These lips are, in the manufacture of the engine, formed somewhat longer than necessary, andare then turned or'ground down, so as to insure an absolutely accurate'cut-oit and admission of steam.

The valve-piston consists of two accuratelyturned heads, which closely lit the valve-cylinder, and are united by a neck, N, of smaller diameter, thus forming a chamber or passage between the heads of the piston for the admission of steam to the cylinder. The heads of the valve-piston may be turned solid or provided, as preferred, withv packing rings of well-known construction.

,y ings r r in the eccentric.

' The valve-stein M2 works through a stuffing-box or gland, M3, and is connected by a The eccentric Q, which actuates thevalve-` spindle,is made adjustable to regulate the relation of the valve-cylinder to the steam-ports, or, in other words, the lap and lead of the engine, as presently described. Its position is also cont-rolled by an automatic governor. As seen in Fig. 5, it is formed with an elongated opening or slot, q, through which the main shaft I loosely passes. This gives the eccentric a capacity of being moved laterally relatively to the shaft to change the position y of the bulge of the eccentric relatively to the center of motion, and correspondingly vary the relation of the valve-piston to the steamports, as is well und erstood.

The eccentric Q is carried by a plate, S, having an elongated opening, like that q in the eccentric, through which the main shaft I also passes, as seen in Fig. 5, and is made with a groove, q, formed in the arc of a circle, Fig. 5", which tits over a correspondingly-curved rib or boss, q2, on the movable plate S. The eccentric and plate S are bolted together by bolts RR', which pass through elongated open- The eccentric may therefore be rotated within limits with reference tothe -plate S, to adjust it to the proper position t'o give the desired lap and lead, and

may then be firmly bolted in place. The plate S is movably carried by a frame or ilanged disk, T, which is fast on the mai n axle I through the medium of the governing devices, which I will now describe.

, The plate S is provided at each end with a4 boss, s s', which passes through an elongated opening, t t, in the frame or disk T. Each of said bosses is pivotally connected with a governor-lever, U U', by a bolt, R R, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. These governor-levers are respectively pivoted on the disk T on opposite sides of the main shaft by bolts T3 T, preferablyin the same horizontal plane, as shown. The outer ends of the levers are made larger and heavier than the inner ends, as illustrated, and are curved in the arc of a circle, so as to rest upon a boss or hub,either formed with the disk T or separately keyed to the main shaft, or they might bear directly against the main shaft.

Plate-springs u u are adj ustabl y secured at one end upon the flange of the disk or frame T, and at their outer ends carry rollers u2 ui,

which bear upon the governor-levers U U and tend constantly to press them toward thetnain shaft, or, in other words, to overcome their centrifugal tendency. Thespringsaresecured by bolts to thickened coucaved portions of the flange of the disk T, as shown in Fig, 4, and by screwing the bolts up more or less the free ends of the springs carrying the rollers may be caused to press with more or less power upon the outer edges ofthe weighted governorlevers. be provided with elongated slots, through which the securing-bolts pass, and be adjusted endwise to vary their pressure upon the governor-levers. An accelerated motion of the engine and main shaft will cause the governorlevers, in obedience to centrifugal force, to

swing out from the shaft I, and, turning upon their pivots T3 T4, will in conjunction move the plate S, which carries the eccentric transversely to the main shaft. lation of the eccentric to the center of motion, and correspondingly controls the relation of the valve-piston to the steam-ports. The engine is therefore perfectly and automatically controlled.

Of course it will be observed from the drawings that one of the weighted governor-levers is pivoted to the boss on the plate S between the pivot of the lever and its free end, while the other governor-lever is pivoted to its boss The springs may ofcourse, ifdesired,

les

IIO

This varies the rej on the opposite end of the plate S by means such subject-matter is covered by another application filed simultaneously herewith. The

automatic governing devices have, however,

been described in detail, so that their action in relation to the other parts of the engine will be fully understood.

I automatically effect the perfect lubrication of the engine by certain improved arrangements which I will now describe. Such subject-matter is not, however, specifically claimedherein, as it is covered by another application led by me simultaneously herewith.

The slide-head and its bearing in the slotted guide F are lubricated by oil flowing from a tank, V, through a pipe, o, which terminates immediately over an` aperture, h', in a plate on top of the slide-head G. The tube o contains a wick, which permits the slow feeding drop by drop ofthe oil from the tank V into a chamber, t, on the top of the slide-head. This chamber is formed by vertical flanges on the top of the slide-head and the coverfplate v2, and is filledv with wool, cotton-waste, or other suitable fibrous material, which becomes saturated and feeds the oil slowly through apertures '03. These apertures communicate with oiling-grooves 1:6, formed in the outside of the downwardly-projecting lugs g, Figs. 7 and 9, so as to distribute the oil over the bearing in the guide. A tube, o, leading from this chamber and containing a suitable wick, projects from the under side of the slide-head between the lugs g, as shown in Fig. 3. The end ofthe wick projecting from the tube o* is so placed with relation to a tube, o5, having a cupshaped mouth and leading to the bearing of the connecting-rod in the slide-head, that as the connecting-rod oscillates the projecting end of the wick Will be struck by the mouth of the tube o5, and the oil fed drop by drop to the bearing. The crank or eccentric connection of the connecting-rod with the main shaft is lubricated in a similar manner by oil flowing from a reservoir, W, through a pipe, w, filled with wicking, the lower end of which projects beyond the end of the pipe. The sharp-edged cup-shaped mouth of the tube w', carried by the connecting rod or crank, shaves past this wick on each revolution of thev crank, thus feeding theoil little by little to the bearing. The journals of the main shaft I are lubricated by oil from the tanks J, Fig. 2.

-The oil is prevented from passing endwise along the crank-shaft to the outside of the casing by sharp-edged rings X, secured to the crank-shaft. The oil is caught by these rings, and, dropping from their sharp edges, passes to the oil-bowl by means of channels c, Fig. 2.

The entire mechanism is inclosed by a casing made in convenient sections. The end sections, Y, are secured at their upperends and sides to the frame A by bolts, the lower ends being perforated to permit the passage of the crank-shaft, and are bolted to the base B of the interior casting. Where the crankshaft. passes through the end sections the casing is bent or spun out beyond the lubricating guard-rings X, as shown in Fig. 2, to afford a convenient construction for the reception of the rings X and the draining of the oil into the bowl. The upper parts of the. end sections may be provided with shutters or lattice-work Y', the slats of which incline inward and upward to admit air to cool the engine while preventing the escape of the splashing oil. Side sections, Y2 Ya, of the casing are made removable, so as to afford ready access to the engine for adjustment and repairs. As shown in Fig. 4, they are formed at their lower edges with flanges z, which interlock or overlap the edges of the bowl B. Their upper edges fit snugly against shoulders formed on the upper under edges of the capplate,and are held in position by turn-buttons Z, Fig. 1, or any other suitable device. This is a convenient structure and permits the sides ofthe casing to be removed, and thus affords complete access to all parts of the engine. Of course the sides could be removably connected in a large variety of ways. p

I am aware of British Patents No. 5,768 of 1882, and No. 680 of 1883, and do not claim the constructions of the engine-frames therein shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. The engine-frame constructed, substantially as described, with the bowl or trough shaped base, the standards or supports secured thereto, and the cap -plate secured to the standards.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the'bowl-shaped base, the standards secured thereto, the cap-plate, and the removable sides or casing.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the base, the standards, the capplate, the steam-cylinder suspended from the capplate, the driving or crank shaft located between the suspended cylinder and the base, and the removable sides or casing.

4. The combination,l substantially as set forth, o'f the frame, an upright cylinder suspended from the top or cap-plate of the frame, the piston, the slidehead, and a guide in which the slide-head works, suspended from the cylinder.

5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a vertical steam-cylinder, piston, and piston-rod, the slide-head, and a longitudinally-slotted cylindrical guide in which the slide-head works, suspended from and supported only by the cylinder.

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the supporting-frame, the cap-plate secured thereon,thesteam-oylinder.and valvechest and their connecting-pipes secured to the cap, the slotted tubular guide secured to the end of the steam-cylinder and constituting IOO IIS

an axial prolongation thereof, the slide-head Y secured to the piston-rod and sliding in the tubular guide, the connecting-rod, and the crank-shaft.

7. The combination, substantially as set l forth, of the supporting-frame, its capsplate, the steam-cylinder and valve-chest secured at one end to the under side ofthe cap-plate, the tubular guide secured to and constituting an axial prolongation of the steanrcylinder, the slide-head connected with the piston-rod and sliding in the guide, the connecting-rod piv oted on the slide-head, the crankshaft, the valve-piston, its oonnectingrod, and its eccentric on the crank-shaft.

8. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, the hanged vertical depending cylinder, the piston-rod and slide-head,

v the flanged guide in which the slide-head works, which guide is suspended from and supported by the cylinder, and the diaphragm or cylinder-head bolted between the cylinder and flanged guide.

9. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the cylindrical slotted guide, the slide-head, circular in cross-section and formed with two depending lugs with curved outer faces, which work in contact with the sides of the slotted guide, the piston, and the connecting-rod, which is connected with a cross-pin 25 carried by the two depending lugs.

10. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the frame and cap-plate, the suspended steam-cylinder, the valve-chest, the valvepiston, and the Valve-cylinder having turned 3o or ground end edges or lips, rv, for the lpurpose described.

11. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the frame and cap-plate, the depending cylinder, the upright valve-piston, and 3 5 counterbalancing devices, for the purpose described. y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subvscribed my name.

NATHAN F. BURNHAM.

Witnesses:

WM. GILBERTHORP, NVM. BEITZEL. 

